I make 6 figures as an 'undercover guest' who helps resorts with bad reviews improve their game. Here's what I look for and how I stay incognito.

• Stephanie Leger is a training and service evaluator and the founder of First Rate Hospitality.
• She visits hotels, restaurants, and resorts to try their services and report back to executives.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Stephanie Leger, a 38-year-old training and service evaluator and the founder of First Rate Hospitality in Miami. It has been edited for length and clarity.

I provide training and service evaluation for hotels and restaurants to transform their image through my company, First Rate Hospitality, which I started in 2017.

I check in as a guest to enjoy the property, work incognito to evaluate the service, and create a customized training program for improvement.

Most of my clients come to me through word of mouth because they've started to see a trend of negative reviews, so they want to get a handle on that before it becomes a bigger situation. They also may be launching a service or a hotel, or reopening after a pandemic break. And they have a lot of new employees, so they want to onboard and train them so they can execute the service effectively.

I charge a flat fee per service or day depending on the client's needs. I earn six figures in profit yearly, and I don't have many overhead or business expenses.

There are benefits, and I've traveled to resorts in Asia, the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Cape Cod, many parts of Florida and California, and other states. Here's how it works.

I test employees on situations the executive team wants to look at

With the client's executive team, I create a scenario that employees deal with regularly to see how they react.

We plan the day to ensure I visit all the departments that the property wants me to evaluate. Whether that's going to the gym first thing in the morning, having breakfast, or hitting the pool when a lot of guests are there. I have the scenarios in mind, and I make mental notes before I get to my computer to type it up.

From my time spent working in hospitality, including at the Ritz-Carlton's front desk and food and beverage services and management, I know what to look for as a mystery shopper. I understand the concept of luxury hotels and the guests who visit, so I know how to remain under the radar.

I stay in a secret persona throughout my visit and remember my story, which changes each time. I usually take a friend or family member with me, so I make the reservations in their name or misspell my name. I really have to get into the character. It's hard to disguise my voice, but I do have a wig and different outfits.

I evaluate 3 main departments

The main areas I assess are the front desk, from guest arrival to departure; housekeeping for the level of cleanliness and attention to detail in guest rooms; and food and beverage, from timeliness of service and the items on the menu to how the staff is able to create a show for the guest when they provide and serve the meal, as well as how that carries over into room service.

One time, I felt like a celebrity because I had to do a dinner evaluation and the staff kept looking at me and making comments. The server even offered me extra food specials. I felt famous from all the attention but then realized they just knew who I was.

When I got to my room at one hotel, another guest was in it

Once, I checked in to a hotel and the room was occupied.

There was no going with the flow in that scenario. I could hear someone inside, but it could've been an employee or another guest. I knocked, and a guest opened the door. For my own security and to ensure I didn't disturb that guest, I went to the front office, spoke with the manager, and asked to be checked in to a clean, unoccupied room. The employee and manager were apologetic, they took care of the situation, and they even provided an upgrade with sincerity and empathy.

Other times, I've complained and the manager's eyes glazed over. That's all feedback the executive team wants to know — that what they're seeing on internal surveys and Tripadvisor reviews is what's happening in practice.

The worst time I had started with an open door

My worst experience was in a hotel where I went to my room and the door was already open.

The housekeeper was just finishing up, so she asked me to wait outside. Most guests would go down to the front desk and complain, but I just waited and played it out. When I got into the room, I'd never seen so much dust, to the point where I didn't turn on the air conditioner. Then I went to the restaurant, and it took 20 minutes before I was able to order and receive my first drink. It was a snowball effect across departments, and it became an overall unfortunate experience.

Those bad situations add up. We make sure that when they occur, we prevent them from happening again or have steps in place so that when it does happen, they know how to take care of it.

I do the same things with the restaurants

With restaurants, it's the same process, from making the reservation to surveying the food quality.

It's not just having the items come as is but also testing the server. If I have a nut allergy, what does the server recommend, or how do the server and kitchen react if I prefer a vegetarian meal?

When evaluating breakfast, I always order the same meal of eggs, bacon, and coffee. I notice what it looks like, whether it's served in a timely manner, and how the employees are interacting, upselling, and engaging.

I provide feedback to help the client fix the situation and enhance the guest experience.

If the pool ran out of towels, how did the employees handle that? If I had to wait 20 minutes for my water to be refilled, did that occur because employees were engaging or because the water was too far away? If the server tells a guest there's no menu and they have to scan a QR code, I suggest they have more menus or boost staffing. I also include the positives, like the excellent product, the employee who went above and beyond, or the unique local food.

Sometimes, I'm there for just a half day at the restaurant or testing a particular hotel department. I could be there for four days, depending on the property and what needs to be reported, or it could be a spa treatment, like a facial or massage.

My favorite part is engaging with employees and the leadership. I have a passion for hospitality, and I want my clients to succeed and shine.